October 2015 Bulletin
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The Bulletin Riverdale Temple y:y} μve lL;hum] /abom] d[' vm,v, jræz]Mimi From the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof, the name of the Eternal One is to be praised. Vol. 69 October 2015 (5776) No. 2 Worship Services (also see calendar on p. 2) HE ABBI S OLUMN Fridays* T R ’ C Oct. 2 5:30 p.m. Tot Shabbat Service 6:30 p.m.* Shabbat with Jr. Choir Sometimes it seems that someone tilted the calendar and all of the Jewish holidays that were not nailed down slid into one corner. There is Oct. 9 7:00 p.m.* Shabbat Eve Service a tradition that when you return home at the end of Yom Kippur, before Oct. 16 5:30 p.m. Tot Shabbat Service you go to bed, you should start building your sukkah. You don’t have to 7:00 p.m.* Shabbat Eve Service build the whole thing. You can do one small thing—put out a hammer, Oct. 23 7:00 p.m.* Shabbat Eve Service move one piece of the sukkah closer to the door—but you are supposed to Oct. 30 7:00 p.m.* Shabbat Eve Service do something. This links the holidays together, and perhaps it is meant to counter the all-too-common feeling: “What? More Jewish stuff?” *Note change of times for Shabbat Eve Services. When I was a kid, autumn meant starting school and Halloween. I loved the fall, partly because of the new books and pencils I would get, and partly Saturdays because of the dilapidated style of Halloween decorating that I would Oct. 3 10:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service someday recognize as being connected to the Japanese concept of sabi. Sabi is finding the beautiful in something that is falling apart, that is a bit Oct. 10 10:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service ramshackle. This idea also appears in the holiday of Sukkot. Oct. 17 10:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service Although some sukkahs are big and beautiful, the basic point of a sukkah Oct. 24 10:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service is that it is temporary, and it will not protect you from the elements. The Oct. 31 10:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service sukkah at Riverdale Temple may be very solid, but the one I had in Baton Rouge fell down more years than it didn’t. Autumn is beautiful, but it is tinged with sadness as the year comes to an end. We think about time passing. The Jewish holidays speak of new beginnings, but also of endings. But I still love autumn, and even more now that I am in Riverdale. It was such a wonderful feeling to see so many Jewish people over all these holidays, both in the temple and elsewhere. When I passed someone in the streets who greeted me with Gut Yontiv, Shanah Tovah, Gmar Tov, Chag Sameach, any of the Jewish greetings of the season, that made me very happy. When I saw the sukkahs being built in my neighborhood, that also made me happy. And when I saw so many people at Riverdale Temple for the holidays, that also made me happy. Although the leaves die and fall to the ground, although the days get shorter and nights longer, we are reminded that it is part of a cycle. The flowers will bloom again, there will be new life. And although we Jews have gone through many difficult times, the signs of the holidays remind us of the rich and vibrant Jewish community here in Riverdale. YIVO Event: “American Jewish Identity in the Traditions old and new bring life to Judaism. The fact that Orthodox, 21st Century,” October 18 (see p. 9) Conservative, and Reform Jews can share holiday wishes is, to me, a very continued on p. 3 1 Riverdale Temple Bulletin Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 18 Tishri 5776 19 Tishri 5776 20 Tishri 5776 Sukkot 4 Sukkot 5 Sukkot 6 (CH’’M) 7:30 pm Membership 5:30 pm Tot 10:30 am Shabbat Committee Meeting Shabbat Morning Service with 6:30 pm Shabbat Torah discussion Eve Service with 12:30 pm WRJ Lunch 1 Junior Choir 2 in the Sukkah 3 21 Tishri 5776 22 Tishri 5776 23 Tishri 5776 24 Tishri 5776 25 Tishri 5776 26 Tishri 5776 27 Tishri 5776 Sukkot 7 Shemini Atzeret Simchat Torah Nursery School Nursery School Nursery School Parashat Bereshit 9:30 am Religious School No Nursery No Nursery School 7:30 pm Executive 7:00 pm Shabbat 10:30 am Shabbat 11:30 am Junior Choir School 7:30 pm WRJ Meeting Committee Meeting Eve Service Morning Service with October 2015 Rehearsal 10:00 am Shemini with Speaker Torah discussion Atzeret Service with Yizkor 6:15 pm Consecra- tion and B’nei Mitzvah Blessings, followed by Simchat Torah Service at 6:30 pm 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 28 Tishri 5775 29 Tishri 5776 30 Tishri 5776 1 Heshvan 5776 2 Heshvan 5776 3 Heshvan 5776 4 Heshvan 5776 9:30 am Religious School Columbus Day Nursery School Nursery School Nursery School Nursery School Parashat Noach 10:30 am Men’s Club No Nursery 4:00 pm First day of 7:30 pm Board of 5:30 pm Tot 10:30 am Shabbat meeting School Hebrew School Trustees Meeting Shabbat, Morning Service with 11:30 am Junior Choir Building closed followed by Torah discussion Rehearsal potluck dinner 7:00 pm Shabbat 11 12 13 14 15 Eve Service 16 17 5 Heshvan 5776 6 Heshvan 5776 7 Heshvan 5776 8 Heshvan 5776 9 Heshvan 5776 10 Heshvan 5776 11 Heshvan 5776 9:30 am Religious School Nursery School Nursery School Nursery School Nursery School Nursery School Parashat Lech-Lecha 11:30 am Junior Choir 4:00 pm Hebrew School No UPK classes 7:00 pm Shabbat 10:30 am Shabbat Rehearsal Eve Service Morning Service with 2:00 pm YIVO Event Torah discussion Chavurah follows 18 19 20 21 22 23 Kiddush 24 12 Heshvan 5776 13 Heshvan 5776 14 Heshvan 5776 15 Heshvan 5776 16 Heshvan 5776 17 Heshvan 5776 18 Heshvan 5776 9:30 am Religious School Nursery School Nursery School Nursery School Nursery School Nursery School Parashat Vayera 10:30 am Social Action 4:00 pm Hebrew School 7:00 pm Shabbat 10:30 am Morning Committee Meeting; 7:30 pm WRJ Book Club Eve Service Service with Torah KRMH Pantry deliveries Meeting discussion 11:30 am Junior Choir Rehearsal 2:30 pm Sinfonietta of Riverdale 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 encouraging sign. All Jews want a Judaism that is vibrant and me that Judaism will, at the very least, be here next year. They tell thriving. It is what cares for us and protects us when other things me that despite everything, we are headed in the proper direction. are falling apart. —Rabbi Tom Gardner I often wonder where Judaism will be in fifty years, in two hundred years, in five hundred years. The holidays of the fall tell Shemini Atzeret, including Yizkor Monday, October 5, at 10:00 a.m. -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. Consecration and B’nei Mitzvah Blessings Monday, October 5, at 6:15 p.m. Simchat Torah Service Monday, October 5, at 6:30 p.m. THE PRESIDENT’S COLUMN Dear Members of Riverdale Temple: echoes many of the sentiments I feel as Riverdale Temple embarks I want to wish all of you a happy and prosperous New Year. May on another new year. I direct your attention to Steve Rosenfeld’s column on p. 7, which —Rachel Radna, President Yom Kippur Food Deliverers From left to right, front: Fay Statsky, Phil Clarke, Jeremy Sklar, Jennifer Sklar, Rochelle Greenfield, Scott Serkin; rear: David Greenfield, Tom Krim. –Photo by Helen Krim, who also participated, along with Jeff Sklar, not pictured. 3 Riverdale Temple Bulletin Extended Kiddush We have an extended kiddush each week following Shabbat morning services. The temple provides bagels and cream cheese. People are encouraged to bring side dishes to the table to enhance the kiddush. You might want to honor a birthday, an anniversary, commemorate a yahrzeit, or just show off your culinary talent (or shopping ability). You could also make a donation to the Extended Kiddush fund. Call the office to let them know if you will be contributing to the Kiddush so we can plan properly. Thank you in advance for your participation! Riverdale Temple’s sukkah Volunteers Needed for the Library at Riverdale Temple As many of you know, I am doing research to write a book on the development of the Purimspiel in the United States. In the process, I discovered that the Riverdale Temple library is an astonishingly good resource, with everything from scholarly tomes in Hebrew to children’s books about Judaism. Unfortunately, the library has been neglected in recent times. Books are misshelved, and the catalogue is probably not up to date. I am looking for volunteers to put the facility back in order. If you are interested in this volunteer opportunity, please contact me, Helen Krim, at [email protected]. An Opportunity to Share! Perhaps you want to honor a birthday, an anniversary, commemorate a yahrzeit, or share Shabbat with our congregation! Call the office at 718-548-3800, ext. 0, and leave a message for Irene Brenner. Riverdale Temple’s Annual New Please donate NEW pajamas and NEW Pajama and New Book Drive books. See p. 8 for details. (from October 15 to November Bring a little warmth and happiness to 15) needy children and teens in group homes and shelters! 4 Riverdale Temple Bulletin Bulletin Board October Events YIVO Event Oct.